(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hot oil heaters and the like of the type normally employed to heat oil or another liquid from a heat source such as an oil or a gas burner.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Hot oil heaters and similarly formed liquid heaters or steam generators may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,060,905; 3,962,999 and 4,041,908. In each of these patents helical coils of tubing are disposed in enclosures into which the products of combustion are introduced so as to obtain a heat transfer to the liquid circulated in the helical coil.
In the present invention, a helical coil is used as a tubular baffle disposed within a cylindrical tank, with the products of combustion being directed into and through the helical coil and diverted thereby throughout the interior of the cylindrical tank. The tank is located within a second tank of larger size and the fluid to be heated is positioned in the larger tank around the exterior of the inner tank and is circulated through the helical coil which forms the baffle in the inner tank. The helical coil and its end sections are formed in a unit so that the end sections which provide the means of communication with the helical coil itself are arranged in spaced parallel tubular members positioned longitudinally of the helical coil so as to support the same in the manner of skids and at the same time form spacing means for the helical coil with respect to the tank in which it is positioned. No prior art is known wherein a unitary self-contained helical coil is arranged in a baffle with parts of its structure forming spacing and supporting skid-like structures which space the same with respect to the interior of a chamber or a tank in which it may be located.